Voters in the Fourth Congressional District will be presented with two very distinct candidates when they head to the polls on Tuesday.

Though they're running to represent the same chunk of Central Pennsylvania turf, incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, the Republican, and his challenger, former Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson, the Democrat, could not be further apart on most issues.

Thompson is a full-throated supporter of President Barack Obama and his policies. She favors increasing the minimum wage, is a fan of of organized labor and remains a staunch supporter of her hometown. She is fiercely protective of her record and claims at least partial credit for helping to steer the Capital City back to financial stability.

He is a hardline administration critic who says Obama "lost" Iraq and believes the administration's fight against ISIS is ineffective. As a military veteran, Perry has some expertise on these issues.

Both Thompson and Perry have acknowledged that jobs and the economy are the central issues of the campaign.

Thompson believes Republicans have put the interest of big business ahead of workers, granting tax breaks and doling out corporate welfare, rather than boosting the minimum wage and working to close the wage gap between both the genders and the rich and poor

Perry, meanwhile, believes government is top-heavy with regulation and thinks the failure to address the national debt is choking economic progress.

Both are troubled by voters' loss of confidence and frustration with Washington's gridlock. Perry has joined "No Labels," a cross-party group whose agenda includes getting Congress to finally pass a budget after five years of Senate obstruction.

In an interview with the PennLive Editorial Board, Thompson said district residents repeatedly told her "they want Congress to get along and get [its] business done."

Despite our disagreement with Perry on some key issues — notably on his opposition to the Affordable Care Act, expanded gun safety measures and same-sex marriage — he has ably represented the voters of the 4th District for the last two years. And his views are in sync with the majority of those he represents.

While we credit Linda Thompson, as Perry has, for giving voters a clear choice in this election, we do not believe she is equipped to represent the voters of the Fourth District in Washington.

Despite her admirable work with former City Receiver William Lynch to help steer in helping to steer the city back to financial stability, Thompson's history of sometimes erratic behavior and haphazard administration have left her political brand damaged.

And should she be elected, she would be a freshman member of House Democratic Conference that is widely expected to be diminished in both size and strength after the votes are counted.

With the state and nation facing so many important challenges in the coming two years, now is not the time to turn out an experienced legislator who is on the path to build seniority in what appears to be a durable Republican majority.

Of the two candidates, Perry is the better choice.

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